Month: May 2021

Emergency rental and utility assistance program available

The Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA) program, launched on March 15, provides rent, utility and internet access assistance to households experiencing financial hardships because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program is accepting applications until Aug. 1 at https://kera.kshousingcorp.org/kera/. The Aug. 1 deadline allows staff to process as many applications as possible, according to a spokesman.

The assistance covers up to 12 months of rent and rental arrears, money past due, up to three months of prospective rent at a time, even if the household does not have rental arrears, and past due residential utility and home energy such as electric, gas, water, sewer and trash services, and internet costs.

The KERA program is funded through the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which provided the state of Kansas nearly $200 million in rental assistance funding. The Kansas Housing Resources Corp. (KHRC) serves as the administrator of the majority of these funds through the KERA program.

Those eligible to apply include tenants who rent their home, tenants whose 2020 household income did not exceed 80 percent of the area’s median income, households where at least one member is experiencing documented financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, or at least one member of the household is uncertain of where they will stay or may become homeless without housing assistance.

To apply for the program, both the tenant and their landlord must apply online via a joint application process. The landlord completes online certification and the tenant submits the online application. The landlord and tenant are then notified when the application is processed. If approved, the landlord or service provider receive funds directly from the Kansas Housing Resources Corp. The landlord or service provider then applies assistance to the tenant’s account.

To learn more about the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the qualification and application process, visit the KHRC website at https://kshousingcorp.org/emergency-rental-assistance/ or call 785-217-2001.

According to the Board of Public Utilities, when a customer makes an application for these funds from the state of Kansas, the customer will receive a proof of prequalified application notice back from the state identifying their application as submitted.

Applicants must then notify BPU customer service as soon as they receive the email application notice from the state. BPU will allow the customer to receive service for 30 days without disconnection while it works with the state to make adjustments.

If the customer’s prequalified application is rejected, the customer must also contact the BPU and the utility will advise the customer about making an application for other assistance they may qualify for. When BPU customers receive their application notice, they should not only call customer service at 913-573-9190 but also send their notice from the state to [email protected], according to the BPU.

A BPU spokesman said that customers are encouraged to stay current with their bills to avoid getting too far behind and if anyone has any BPU billing or customer service questions, they can call 913-573-9190 and a utility representative is available to assist.

Many more Kansans can get free or cheap health insurance

Even if you already bought a health plan this year, you may qualify for a steeper discount that you can apply to receive now or claim on your taxes next spring.

by Celia Llopis-Jepsen, KCUR and Kansas News Service

Tens of thousands of uninsured Kansans qualify for enough government subsidies to get free health insurance.

That was the case even before the passage of Congress’ latest stimulus package in March, but now those benefits are available to many more people.

For some, the potential savings for 2021 and 2022 health plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace are dramatic.

The Kaiser Family Foundation says a 60-year-old Kansan earning $55,000 a year can save more than $7,000 on this year’s premiums.

Most people who already bought plans this year on the ACA, or Obamacare, marketplace can lower their monthly premium or zero it out as part of a two-year expansion of subsidies included in the American Rescue Plan stimulus package.

Even some people who earn more than four times the federal poverty rate will now get financial help.

Here are two quick and easy ways to check whether the stimulus deal affects premiums for you:

• Kaiser Family Foundation’s subsidy calculator
• Healthcare.gov’s estimate tool

If you already bought your 2021 coverage but now qualify for steeper discounts, the change won’t kick in automatically mid-year. You have to reapply through healthcare.gov. The deadline to apply is mid-August.

Or you can get the savings retroactively next spring when you file your taxes.

If you bought your health plan this year without going through the federal marketplace, you’ll have to go through the marketplace now to get the subsidies.

Normally, the annual window for buying or switching insurance plans on the federal exchange happens each fall. But people get a second chance this year because of the pandemic.

The new window for 2021 coverage closes Aug. 15. The window for buying 2022 plans opens a few months later, and the expanded subsidies will count toward those, too.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org.
The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.
See more at https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-04/coronavirus-stimulus-plan-means-many-more-kansans-can-get-free-or-cheap-health-insurance.

Kansas City NWSL’s first match at Legends Field ends in 2-1 loss

The first match of Kansas City NWSL held Monday night at the Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas, ended in a 2-1 loss.

The professional women’s soccer club played the final game of the 2021 Challenge Cup against OL Reign.

It was the first time Kansas City played on its home field, after opening the home schedule last week at Children’s Mercy Park.

An early goal from forward Mallory Weber was not enough as OL Reign scored two goals.

In the sixth minute, midfielder Victoria Pickett slipped a pass through the back line of OL Reign to Weber, who then made two moves on five Reign defenders leading to a right-footed shot to the upper right corner of the net.

“It was limited capacity with COVID, but I thought they did a really good job of making it feel loud and kind of as that 12th man,” Weber said.

Later in the half, Jessica Fishlock of OL Reign made good on a penalty kick to tie the game at 1-1.

Reign took the lead after Celia Jimenez Delgado clipped a header over KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart.

Reign now is 2-1-1 in the Challenge Cup, with Kansas City at 0-3-1.

Kansas City now will move on to its first NWSL regular season match at 4 p.m. May 15 in Louisville, Kentucky, against Racing Louisville. The game will be streamed live on Paramount+.